Today's Doings (and a bit on what I want for my children)

I hope that most of you were able to attend the second day of the Mother/Daughter conference. I know that yesterday I was incredibly blessed by the speakers!!

School: Bible, Hymn (Amazing Grace), History, Math, Reading, Writing

What I did: I added more books to my Library Thing (see left hand sidebar near the bottom), organized more books, cleared out several things from the Master Bedroom (per my plan, but I realize now that with my broken toe, I cannot do as much as I would like as quickly as I would like, so hopefully by Thanksgiving our Master Bedroom will be only furniture and clothing.) I also did two loads of laundry (hanging one to dry overnight).

It feels so good cleaning and getting things down to necessities. It also helps me realize just how much wasteful spending I have done on things that were NOT needed. It is so neat to see this rubbing off on the girls. AA told me today that when she gets married and has her own house she is only going to bring into it things that are needed. I told her a few wants were OK, but that it is good to focus mostly on needs. :) I have told all of my girls that I want so much more for them than what I have. Not material wise, but spiritually. I want them to be good keepers at home. I want them to go into marriage knowing how to keep a home and not struggle like I have (and do).

I must admit that I get so angry with moms that say "someday I hope you have a kid just like you!" They say it in frustration because their child has been a frustration to them. I think EVERY GOOD mother would want MORE for their children. That they would want the BEST for their children. I pray for my grandchildren. I pray that they will learn to follow and love the Lord from the EARLIEST age possible (which means that prayerfully, they will never have a child that gives them the grief that I sometimes get and that I KNOW I gave my own mother).

I was reading a really good article that talks about how now America has become a country in which Christians need to be missionaries. We can no longer just live and not let others know about Jesus.

I remember when I first became a Christian. I was a freshman in college. I met a most amazing man (my now husband) who, though life was treating him horribly, spoke about hope and joy. It took almost one full year of fighting (yes FIGHTING - I thought I WAS a Christian, after all, I was born in America) before I came to know the truth. God was VERY gracious to me, and I asked Brian to pray with me to accept the Lord as my God and Savior. I gave my heart and life to Him (although I know that I do not do Him justice with it, sinful creature that I am). My happiest day without the Lord is equivalent to my saddest day WITH Him. I can have joy in the sorrow and peace in storms. Do I still struggle with faith and trust.. oh yeah.

But I want MORE for my children. I want them to struggle now, in a safe environment, so that they can be strong and mighty arrows for Jesus as they grow and meet others. Others who do not know the saving grace (and peace and JOY) of a personal relationship with Jesus. I want to be a light so they can burn even BRIGHTER than I do.

This world is so lost. This past election was a huge wake-up call for both Brian and myself. And I agree with the author in the article linked above. We can no longer live like we are in a Christian country blessed by God (like it was when our founding fathers wrote and signed the constitution of the United States). While our country is not impoverished like some third world countries (at least not yet), we are living in the same spiritually impoverished circumstances.

I remember reading about missionaries who had a zeal for God. Going into third world countries and spreading the gospel and leading others to Christ. They would (and many did) die in order to save just one person. While it is not that bad here (yet), it is amazing the vileness that comes toward me for just mentioning Jesus. And it will only get worse. I want my children to be steadfast, standing on Jesus as the solid rock, so that when the nasty attitude towards Christians becomes even worse, they will be able to stand strong and firm and be a light in such a dark dark world.

I am sorry to go on and on. Although I am pretty sure that very few of you actually read all of this. My blog is for me and my children, and if there is anyone out there who is reading and blessed by anything I have to share, then to God be the glory. I just felt I needed to write this down for my children's sake. Thanks for letting me ramble.